Clemson needs two-run ninth to edge Tech, 5-4 in NCAA Regional

May 30, 2009

CLEMSON, S.C. – It took a two-run walk-off double in the
bottom of the ninth inning for No. 14 Clemson to top the Tennessee
Tech baseball team 5-4 Friday night to win in the opening round of
the NCAA Regional tournament, in a game Tech led from the very
start.

The Tigers led off the decisive ninth inning with a single from
Addison Johnson, who was making his first at-bat of the game as a
pinch hitter. Chris Epps followed that with a single of his own to
put runners on first and second with nobody out. Lee Henry struck
out Mike Freeman, before Clemson’s Jeff Schaus pulled through
with the walk-off double that hugged the first-base line and made
it all the way through to the right field fence.

Schaus went 2-for-5 in the game, hitting a solo home run in
addition to his game-ending hit, finishing with three RBIs.

The Tigers’ leadoff batter reached base in the final seven
innings of the game.

“There’s no question, against a great team like Clemson
that is going to catch up with you,” head coach Matt Bragga
said. “We played with fire, absolutely. A great team is
finally going to take advantage of that.”

Alex Henry went 3-for-4 in the contest, and scored twice, while
Chad Oberacker and Tate McMillan each went 2-for-3.

Tech got an early 1-0 lead with the help of back-to-back singles
from Alex Henry and Oberacker to lead off the game, followed by a
ground ball from A.J. Kirby-Jones. The Golden Eagles went up 2-0 in
the top of the third inning when Heath Cheverton, Henry and
Oberacker each singled in succession to start the inning.

Clemson got on the board in the bottom the fourth, cutting the lead
in half with a single, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly
in the inning, but the Golden Eagles pulled ahead 4-1 in the top of
the fifth when back-to-back wild pitches allowed Alex Henry to
score, after he reached on a single. Oberacker would score on an
error on the very next play. But the Tigers wouldn’t go away,
and cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the frame. That’s
how the score stayed until the bottom of the ninth inning.

“I have to say it was a difficult game to lose,” Bragga
said. “I felt like we had a chance to win it late, and
didn’t. I think Clemson had a leadoff man on maybe six or
seven inning out of the nine, and it is tough to win ballgames when
that happens. I tip my hat to them, they did a great job. I’m
proud of our guys and disappointed that we lost because we expect
to win.”

Senior pitcher Ryan Dennick got the start for Tech, and pitched
seven innings, allowing just five hits and three runs. Dennick
struck out five batters and walked four, and was not the pitcher of
record.

“I knew Clemson is going to be a great hitting team from the
ACC,” Dennick said. “I got to mix my pitches really
well, I can’t just keep feeding them fastballs because they
are going to drive them all over the ballpark. I had to change it
up and let my defense work, and that worked for most of the
ballgame.”

“Ryan Dennick has come on strong for us late (in the
season),” Bragga said. “He was a competitive type close
for us, and late in the year we made an adjustment and this is his
fifth start. He is phenomenal, and is going to get a chance at the
next level, as he should. We have been blessed to have this young
man in our program.”

Lee Henry took the loss for the Golden Eagles. He came in to pitch
at the start of the eighth inning, and got three of his four outs
by way of the strikeout. Henry walked two, and gave up two
runs.

“This was a typical tournament game,” Clemson head
coach Jack Leggett said. “Tennessee Tech did an outstanding
job; they pitched well and kept us off balance. We couldn’t
find a good hit, and had a rough eighth inning. We had a rough four
innings. Tennessee Tech is well-coached and they played hard, and
fortunately we came up with a big hit at the end.”

The Golden Eagles will face Alabama at 2 p.m. CDT Saturday in an
elimination game. Alabama lost to Oklahoma State 10-6 earlier in
the day.